Locking device for loose-leaf binders.



H. C. MILLER.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1913. I

Patented Deo. 1, 1914.

rHE NORRIS PETERS CD.. PHOTc-LITHO., WASHINGTON, n. C.

HENRY C. MILLER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF 'BINDERS Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led May 12, 1913. Serial No. 766,999.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY C. M ILLER, ofMilwaukee, lVisconsin, have invented a Locking Device for Loose-LeafBinders, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to loose-leaf books of variable thickness, moreparticularly those having a back-cover to which a pair of uprightstandards are fixed and a frontcover provided with a locking-deviceadapted to clip said standards at any point of. their length.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved type oflooking-device and more particularly one Which cannot become openedaccidentally as by shaking or droppin on the iioor. a

eretofore locking-devices for this'type of binders have been customaryin which a bolt or bar is moved endvvise to grip or release thestandards or posts; but said device held its place by friction merely.

A primary feature of my present invention consists in providing aspring-lock which, lwhen the locking-bar is in gripping position,positively holds it there, but which is released automatically by thesame nipulation that slides the locking-bar back and therefore gives noadditional trouble in operating it.

Another feature of my invention consists in novel means which I providefor causing the release of the gripping-devices and thereby releasingthe standards.

The nature of my invention may best be understood from a considerationof various concrete embodiments thereof, two of Which are shown in theaccompanying drawings, Wherein- Y Figure 1 is a perspective view of oneform of a complete loose-leaf book according to my invention; Fig. 2 isan elevation from the back of the binder of the coversection and partsof the standards or posts, the locking-mechanism being shown in grippingposition; Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the left-hand end, as shovvn in Fig.2, of the locking-mechanism, a part of the sheet-metal casing beingcutaway and the post or standard shown in section; Fig. A is a longitudinalcentral section through Athe lockingmechanism of the right-hand endthereof as seen in Fig. 2, said mechanism being other form oflocking-mechanism and partsv of the standards or posts, said mechanismlbeing shown in the gripping position; Fig. 6 is an end-view thereof fromthe right-hand end of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central sectionthrough the locking-mechanism shown in Fig. 5, of the right-hand endthereof as seen in said figure, the mechanismv being here shown inreleasing position; Fig. 8 is a plan-view of the same With the top ofthe sheet-metal casing removed; and Fig. 9 is a plan of thegrippingelement of this vform of the device as seen in Fig. 5. Thekreference. letters refer each to the same part in each figure of thedrawing.

The general parts illustrated in Fig. l comprise the back-cover a, thefront-cover b, the leaves c and the standards or posts d, which latterare permanently fixed to the back-cover a; and said posts may be ofvariable length, or in sections if desired, but

' as this idea is not relevant to the invention,

it is vnot here shown.

The invention consists entirely in the special form oflocking-mechanism, designated as a Whole E, which is contained in asheetmetal box or housing e `mounted. on the back-bar b of thefront-cover b. Said cover is here shown as being secured to the backbarb2 by means of a couple of prongs e2 on its ends and a couple of rivetse3, which pass through theback-bar and are clenched orv upset on theopposite `side thereof. The interior of the housingy eris separated fromthe back-bar (which is customarily covered With leather, canvas, etc.,not here shown) by a flat plate F,'Which has holes through Which saidprongs e2 and rivets e3 pass. Both the box e', plate F and backbar b areprovided With notches e4 which` extend from the back to the center ofthe housing for the purpose ofenabling the cover to slip sidevvise uponthe posts as Well as endvvise; but thisfeatureis not a necessary elementof the invention..4

The gripping-devices consist of va pair of spring-tempered plates f,which are riveted to the plate F by rivets f2, and Whosefree PatentedDec. 1, 1914.

ends are adapted when not otherwise restrained to press downwardobliquely upon the sides of the posts d. The effect of this is that whenthe cover is in place on the post-s, it will slide freely downwardagainst the leaves c, but cannot be inoved upwardly because the edges ofthe plates f bind upon the posts. gripping-devices is the grippingposition. lf or releasing the gripijiing means, l provide thelocking-bar G, which is arranged to slide longitudinally within thecasing e and is of the saine width as the lutter interiorly. l t has onits ends two depressed portions g', which are of such depth that theyslide freely upon the plate li" when the flat-poi tion of the bar Grests on the top of the box iin aperture or slot g'gis formed in the bar(l on the left-hand side of each depressed portion through which thespringplates j" respectively extend. On the righthand side of eachdepressed portion, the bar G is also slotted as shown at g3, the slotg"j being of the saine width as the diaineter of the posts CZ, -andnarrower than the slot g2, whereby the inetal on each side of the slotis adapted to corne against the under side of the spring-plate f andlift it away from the post d when the bar (it is shifted to the left, asshown in Fig. il. lt will be understood, of course, that the slot g3 isnecessarily an open-ended slot whenever the side-slot e* is provided inthe housing e, to enable the cover to be removed sidewise as aforesaid;and in this case, the prong 'g4 on one side of the slot g3 prevents thelateral withdrawal of the cover frein the post in the locking-position.

New, in order to prevent the accidental shifting of the bar G froin thelocking to the releasing-position, and at the saine time provide meansfor shifting the locking-bar manually, l provide a spring-plate g5,secured to said bar by a rivet gb' and carrying a locking-pin (/7 and ainanipulatingbutton gg, these passing through corresponding apertures gand glo in the bar G, and the shank of the button g8 passing through aslot e5 in the top of the casing e. Said slot is of such length thatwhen the locling-bar is shifted to the locking-position of Figs. l andC', the pin 97 registers with the end of the slot e5? and thespring-plate g5 raises it thereinto, so that the bar cannot now beshifted to releasing-position without manually depressing said pin /T,and this is effected by depressing the button g3, which takes place bythe saine inoveinent as that with which it is shifted endwise.

ln the second forin of iny invention.y Fi 5 to 9 inclusive, the box orhousing E is substantially they saine as in the first forni, the slot e,however, being omitted, and in place thereof is formed in one end ofsaid rhus the nornial position of thebox a slot e6. The gripping-devicesin this case, consist of tilting spring-tempered plates l1", one ofwhich is shown separately in Fig. 9; each of said spring-plates havingpivot-ears f formed on its ends which work in slots eS in the sides ofthe box E. The place of the locking-bar G is taken by a bar G', whichslides in like manner in the top ofthe boX and has two downwardly curvedtongues g, which both support the bar in position and also serve todepress one end or other of the gripping-plates lf as the bar is shiftedfrom one side to the other. '.lhese tongues qll are formed by slittingthe inetal longitudinally along two parallel lines which lie on oppositesides of the post Z and bending the nietal tongue so fornied, thusgiving a second tongue gm, which in the locking-position extends acrossthe open slot e* and prevents lateral withdrawal of the cover troni theposts.

'lhe bar G has a manipulating-tab Q13 on its end, and said tab extendsthrough the aperture e and is turned up to give a convenient hold to thelinger. Now, in order to lock the bar against accidental shifting, theinetal of the housing E is forined with a downwardly depending tongue e7on the upper edge of the slot e6, and the tab Q13 has a hole g1* forinedtherein which registers with said tongue eT when the bar is pushed in,as clearly shown in Fig, 6. The resilient quality of the instal-bar Gcauses the tab (/13 to spring up and holds the hole Q14 in engageinontwith the tongue e7, but it will be seen that the engagement is broken bythe natural effort of the finger in shifting the lockingbar to releasingposition. ln this case the action of the grippingdeiiice F is regulatedby the bar G in a somewhat diderent inanner froni the lirst forin of theinvention.

lVhen the bar is in looking-position, Fig. 5,`

the tongues gn press upon the plates F on the left of their pivots, andthus press the engaging ends ft thereof against the posts el; but whenthe bar G is shifted to the right, the pressure of the tongues g11 isshifted to the right of the pivots f3 and then the action is to raisethe engaging ends ,ft away from the posts.

Various changes and modifications in the constructions as herein shownmay be inade without departing froin the spirit of iny invention,` and lwish it understood therefore, that the latter is not otherwise limitedthan by the proper scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claiin as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a post, a cover, and alocking-nieans on said cover having a shifting locking-bar.; there beinga pair of elements respectively on said locking-bar and ay stationarypart adapted to positively engage one another in the locking-positionland said elements being adapted to be resiliently disengaged.

2. ln a loose-leaf binder, the combination with a post, a cover, and alocking-means on saidV cover having a shifting locking-bar; there beinga pair of elements respectively on said locking-bar and a stationarypart adapted to positively engage one another in the locking-position,and said elements being adapted to be resiliently disengaged by the sameand manipulating-movement as that employed to shift said locking-bar.

3. ln a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the baclncover having anupright post and the front-cover adapted to slide on said post of alocking-mechanism on said front cover adapted to engage said post; saidlooming-mechanism having a stationary and a longitudinallyshifting-member and said shifting-member having a locking and areleasing-position; the respective members having elements adapted topositively engage each other in the locking-position and pressed intoengagement by a spring; and a device adapted to simultaneously releasesaid spring and shift said shifting-member.

l. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the back-cover having anupright post and the front-cover adapted to slide on said post of alocking-mechanism on said front-pover adapted to engage said post; saidlocking-mechanism having a stationary and a longitudinallyshifting-member and said shifting-member having a loclringand areleasing-position; one of said members having a projecting element andthe other a recess in which said vprojecting element is adapted toengage in the locking-position, and a spring-device on saidshifting-member adapted to hold said projecting element in engagementwith said recess.

5. ln a loose-leaf binder, the combination with the back-cover having anupright post and the front-cover adapted to slide on said post of alocking-mechanism on said frontcover adapted to engage said post; saidvlocking-mechanism having a stationary and a longitudinally shiftingmember and said shiitingmember having a loclingand a releasing position;one of said members having a projecting element and the other a recessin which said projecting element is adapted to engage in thelocking-position, a spring-device on said shifting-member adapted tohold said projecting element in engagement with said recess, and amanipulating element carried by said spring and adapted to be usedsimultaneously to release said engagement and shift said shiftingmember.

6. In a loose-leaf binder, the combination of the bach-cover carryingone or more upright posts, a front-cover adapted to slide thereon, and alocking-mechanism mounted on said front cover, said lockingmechanismcomprising one or more spring- 'one side with a slot through whichpasses the free end of the corresponding springplate and on the otherside comprising one or more lingers adapted when shifted toward saidspring-plate to raise the free end of said spring-plate from said post.

7. In a loose-leaf binder, the conbination of the back-cover carryingone or more upright posts, a front-cover adapted to slide thereon, and alocking-mechanism mounted on said front-cover; said locking-mechanismcomprising one or more spring-plates, one for each post, mountedlaterally on one side of the post and pressing downwardly against thesame with its free end whereby to permit downward but not upwardmovement of the cover on the posts.; and a longitudinally shifting barhaving one or more depressed portions, one for each post, each depressedportion provided on one side with a slot through which passes the freeend of the corresponding spring-plate and on the other side comprisingtwo fingers adapted, y

when shifted toward'sai'd spring-platato raise the free'end of saidspring-plate from ysaid post, and said locking-mechanism having one ormore lateral notches, one for each' post, through which the post isadapted to be inserted and one of the fingers of each depressed portionforming a prong which is adapted in the releasing-position of saidshifting-member to clear said notch and in the locking-position thereofto extend across the open side of said notch.

8. In al loose-leaf binder, the combination of the back-cover carryingupright posts, a front-cover adapted to slide thereon, and alocking-mechanism mounted on said front-v cover; said loclzing-mechanismcomprisinga closed box or housing, spring-plates, one for each post,mounted laterally' within said housing on one side of the post andpressing downwardly against the same with'its free end whereby to permitdownward but not upward movement of the cover on the posts; and alongitudinally shifting-bar within said housing and sliding at the` topthereof having one or more depressed portions one for each post, eachdepressed portion provided on one side with a slot through which passesthe free end of the corresponding spring-plate and on the other sidecomprising one or more fingers adapted when shiftllO ed toward saidspring-plate to raise the free end of said spring-plate from said post,Suid housing izwing a longitudinal slot therein, spring-plate mounted atone of its ends on said longitudinally shifting-member, ainauipuluting-button mounted on said spring-plate and extending intoseid slot in the housing, and zi projecting element n'lounted on SeidSpring-plate and adapted when said shifting-member is in the lockloing-position to register with said slot and abut against one endthereof.

'lu Witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses. HENRY C. MULLER. Witnesses:

0. P. HAZARD, A. H. BRENEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtaine for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 0:2 Zateut.

Washington, ID. C.

